Tag Archives: русский язык
«Класс!» – On the Importance of Calling Things by their Proper Names Posted by josefina on Feb 17, 2010
There are days when «словарь» [the dictionary] is not you best friend. It might still be «друг» [a friend] of yours, «но не самый лучший друг» [but not the very best friend]. Why is that? Because on these particular days the dictionary fails to explain certain words to you. Or explains them in such a…
Introducing «Елена» [Yelena]: The New Addition to Our Russian Blog! Posted by josefina on Feb 13, 2010
Today is «начало больших перемен» [the beginning of big changes] here on the Russian Blog – what used to be «мой блог» [my blog] (even though it was never really entirely ‘mine’…) «стал НАШИМ блогом» [has become OUR blog]! «Как?» [how?] you might be wondering. Well, wonder no longer! Because from now the Russian blog…
«Щас!» – What DOES it mean and what DO Russians mean when they say it? Posted by josefina on Feb 11, 2010
Sometimes Russians say things to you and you do not understand. «Это неизбежно» [it is inevitable]. «К сожалению» [unfortunately]. And this situation may be repeated. Over and over. The situation in itself will be different every time, but the word or phrase you didn’t understand the first time will remain the same. Until you figure…
«Кем быть?» [Who to be?]: The beginner’s guide to using the verb «быть» in both future and past tenses but leaving it out of the present tense altogether Posted by josefina on Feb 5, 2010
It is imperative for everyone to learn to be happy about the smaller things in life. An example of a small thing that can (and should!) bring happiness into everyone’s life is the fact that Russian verbs only have «три времена» [three tenses]: «настоящее время» [present tense], «прошедшее время» [past tense] and «будущее время» [future…
The Return of «ибо»! Posted by josefina on Feb 2, 2010
When in Moscow it is a rule to go for a stroll «на Красной площади» [on the Red Square], «ибо это делают все» [because everybody does that] «и туристы, и провинциалы» [both tourists and people from the provinces]. «Провинциал» means ‘provincial, backwoodsman; unsophisticated person’. The female version of the word is «провинциалка». When I first…
«С праздником!» or: How to Congratulate Russian Style Posted by josefina on Nov 5, 2009
Yesterday was the 4th of November and «выходной день в России» [a day of rest, day off, holiday in Russia]. Yes once again it was time to celebrate the mysterious «День народного единства» [(People’s) Unity Day]. There’s no need to pretend that Russians don’t look at this strange holiday in pretty much the same way…
Russian Word of the Week: «Домашний» [Homey, Domestic; Indoor] Posted by josefina on Oct 17, 2009
Have you ever wondered what the difference between the noun «дом» and the adverb «дома» is? Read and compare the use of the words in the following sentence: «Для большинства людей это просто достаточно старый, деревянный дом» [To most people this is just a rather old, wooden house], «а для некоторых он же – дома»…